The sixth of December is set aside annually to commemorate National Miner’s Day. Some of the most important people to our industry and to the development of Modern Civilization are the men and women who spend their days digging in the ground. More than one hundred different types of minerals are extracted from the soil by the nearly 366,000 miners that work in the industry.
The mineral can be found in the form of coal, silver, copper, gold, granite, salt, limestone, gravel, and a great deal more. They labour in dangerous environments all over the world in order to provide us the resources we need to continue living the way we do.
They supply the raw resources that are used to make things like heat, electricity, cosmetics, roads, bridges, and even toothpaste. Even in ancient times, bronze and iron mined from the earth were used to construct magnificent buildings, plough the land, and arm soldiers for battle.
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What Is National Miners Day?
National Miners Day is celebrated on December 6 every year to honour the hardworking individuals who put their lives and health in danger to mine the earth for minerals such as coal, copper, gravel, limestone, and other minerals that are used in a wide variety of products.
These minerals are used in everything from glass and sheetrock to electrical wiring and building materials. There are hundreds of thousands of miners in the United States who put their lives in danger on a daily basis without giving it a second thought, despite the fact that they face a variety of health hazards and safety risks.
Mining is a difficult and dangerous line of work. Benefits under the Workers’ Compensation programme are available to coal miners who have been hurt on the job or who have developed serious health problems as a result of being exposed to hazardous materials. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can be of great assistance to injured mine workers.
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History Of National Miner’s Day?
In Monongah, West Virginia, on December 6, 1906, the worst accident occurred. Two mines owned by Fairmont Coal were the scene of the explosion. More than 362 miners who were trapped inside the mines were declared dead, making it the deadliest accident to have ever occurred up to this point.
In response to public pressure to control mining rules, the government established the “United States Bureau of Mines” in 1910 to regularly monitor mines and prevent explosions from happening again. To further safeguard the welfare of miners, laws like the Federal Mine and Safety Act and the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act were passed.
Additionally, the United Congress designated this day as a national holiday in 2009 to remember the sacrifices of innocent lives. To commemorate the bravery of strong men who lost their life in the tragic Monongah mining accident, a monument was erected in San Giovanni in Fiore, Italy.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health afterwards took over as “United States Bureau of Mines” by the year 1996.
How To Celebrate Miners’ Day?
Observing Miners’ Day can be done in a number of ways, the most straightforward of which is to simply look around you and acknowledge the extent to which the minerals extracted from the soil are responsible for a great deal of the conveniences you take for granted in your daily life.
These hardworking men and women are responsible for everything you take for granted, from the high-tech phone and luxurious car you drive to the cookware you use and the stovetop itself.
Find a mine in your area that you can go to and tour to gain some first-hand understanding about where everything originates from and the hazards that they face. Visiting one of the many mines that extract various minerals from the soil will give you a better understanding of what these people do and how dangerous their work can be.
Visit them and express your gratitude for the work that they have done; if you can, bring a tray of good coffee to keep them going. You should take this opportunity, which is known as Miners’ Day, to reflect on everything you have and be grateful for it.
Thing’s You Didn’t Know About National Miners Day
The prosperity of our nation has long been based on mining, yet National Miners Day wasn’t formally established by our Congress until 2009. National Miners Day was first proposed in the US House of Representatives by Congressmen Rahall, Capito, and Mollohan.
It was approved and advanced to the Senate. On December 3, 2009, the United States Senate approved a resolution that was sponsored by Senators Byrd, Rockefeller, and Reid. Although it wasn’t declared a national holiday until 2009, miners celebrated National Miners Day for more than a century prior to that.
In 1907, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) established National Miners Day to remember a mining accident that had happened that year. In an explosion in the No. 6 and No. 8 mines in Monongah, West Virginia, 362 miners perished. The greatest industrial accident to ever occur in the United States is still this incident.
The Monongah catastrophe was not the first nor the last time that a mining accident injured or killed dedicated miners. Tens of thousands of miners died in mining accidents between 1890 and 1910. You wouldn’t believe it, but over a thousand miners died per year during the start of the 20th century. Thousands more people were hurt in addition to these fatalities.
On National Miners Day, we pay tribute to all those who died or were hurt while working in our country’s mines. Several would contend that black lung disease is one of the most destructive mining catastrophes, even if there were many events prior to the Monongah explosion (and thereafter).
Black lung disease, also referred to as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP), is brought on by persistent coal dust exposure. Coal miners and other people who work with coal frequently develop this illness. According to studies, industrial bronchitis affects 16–17% of all coal workers (which can lead to black lung).
Black lung disease causes about 25,000 deaths annually, but that number used to be significantly higher. Black lung rates didn’t decline by 90% until the Federal Coal Act of 1969; prior to the 1950s, little was known about the illness. Before starting work in the coal mining business, all Americans are required to undergo a free medical examination. The same free test must be made available to all employees in coal mines every five years as long as they are still employed.
NOISH Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program is the organization that conducts these free examinations. Technicians from NIOSH programmes also travel to areas of the country with coal mines to give services. The risks miners encounter at work don’t just include black lung and explosions. Inadequate electrical work, inadequate lighting, and machinery are other major dangers, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
A significant concern to operations worldwide is weather-related mining accidents. Unfortunately, mining and landslides frequently come into contact, creating a hazardous mix. Mines are particularly vulnerable to mudslides or landslides during or after periods of heavy rain. These have the power to ensnare miners underground and bury them beneath mountains of dirt and debris.
Miners must contend with lightning in addition to landslides as a result of the weather. Even when the sky is clear, lightning can still strike. Many mining operations put their people at danger without weather intelligence.
A lot of mines that set the standard for safety in the sector use weather alerting solutions like an Outdoor Alerting System or weather visualization software like Sferic Maps to safeguard its employees. Over 366,000 men and women continue the American mining tradition today. Nearly 100 different minerals are mined in this country.
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